ANAHEIM – Tried to get somebody to bite on the notion that the Sharks played one of their strongest games on the same day/night that Douglas Murray was traded was no coincidence.

Nobody would.

Logan Couture came close after San Jose’s 5-3 victory over the Anaheim Ducks.

“I guess you could say it was a difficult day. Losing a teammate was tough, but guys fought hard and we played one of our better games,” he said.

So there was a connection between the trade and the caliber of play?

“I don’t know if that had anything to do with,” Couture said. “You get to the rink and play hockey. We finally put it together for the majority of the game and played our game. We really took it to them all night.”

I had even less luck with Joe Thornton and Todd McLellan.

Guess maybe it was coincidence then, not message received or some sort of wake-up call.

Anyway, you can find the print edition story at http://www.mercurynews.com/sharks/ci_22870715/san-jose-sharks-trade-douglas-murray-pittsburgh-penguins.

And, per usual, here are a few things that didn’t make the cut.

****James Sheppard’s parents should have come to the West Coast earlier this season.

But, yeah, it is a long way from Nova Scotia to California, so perhaps it’s excusable it’s taken them this long to get to the West Coast. Whatever, pretty good timing as he picked their arrival to score his first goal as a Shark in 23 games and his first overall since Dec. 11, 2009, when he was with the Minnesota Wild.

Sure, there were two complete seasons lost to a badly damaged knee in there somewhere, but any way you look at it, that’s still a long, long time between celebrations.

“It’s a good feeling to get one, but two is still more than one so I want to keep going,” Sheppard said. “I did some pretty good things, though I still would like to have that breakaway back. Like I said, Scotty Gomez gave me some good advice, just keep shooting the puck.”

(Note: Interesting source as Gomez has heard that advice from coaches over the years.)

Sheppard skated on a newly constituted third line with Joe Pavelski and TJ Galiardi, and his goal survived a video review after it appeared Marty Havlat might have deflected it with a high stick. He didn’t.

Sheppard’s parents, by the way, are driving up the coast Tuesday and will be in San Jose for the start of that seven-game homestand Wednesday. If they take Highway 1 the whole way, they might not be as impressed as most people by that drive along Big Sur only because the scenery on Cape Breton Island in their home province is just about as spectacular.

*****Sheppard’s goal survived video review, but one about three minutes earlier by Couture did not.

Couture deflected a shot by Pavelski right through Anaheim goalie Viktor Fasth, but one of the officials immediatelywaved it off, saying Couture’s stick made contact with the puck above the crossbar. The video review was inconclusive so the on-ice decision stood.

(Another note: Had the on-ice ruling gone the other way, of course, the inconclusive video review would have meant it did count as a goal. Something wrong with the system there as it either is or isn’t.)

Couture seemed puzzled and quietly upset by the call after the game.

“It hit my shaft, which was about at my chest, right here,” Couture said, placing his hand horizontally right about the middle of the sternum. “I have no idea why it wasn’t a goal. They said they had to make a call on the ice and it was too hard to tell on video. I’ll go watch on replay but I already know it was a good goal.”

****Looking at the game stats, maybe I better not refer to Joe Pavelski as a third-line center. His 20:47 ice time was second among San Jose forwards to the 21:41 of Couture. Sure, a lot of Pavelski’s time is on both special teams, but even his 12:29 at even strength was more than Thornton’s at 11:46.

Pavelski also led the team with six shots.

Oh, and if you were wondering who might end up replacing Murray when it comes to hits, Sheppard led the Sharks with six.

****Calling it a night. Catch a break with a 10:20 a.m. flight, but that alarm is going to go off too early, all things considered. Still. Good to be heading home for an extended stretch.

David Pollak

David Pollak has been following the NHL forever and at the Mercury News as an editor or reporter since 1987. For almost a decade he wrote about the Sharks as the paper's Fan in the Stands before joining the sports department in 2001. He became the Sharks beat writer before the 2007-08 season and began this blog at that time. You can also follow him on Twitter at @PollakOnSharks.

Yeah, that was me. I haven’t forgotten — I’ve just gotten a little too ambitious in looking at the data. 8)

CforPavs @ 95

A little bit of a history lesson. From 1988 to 1996, there was a little team in a non-traditional hockey market which had unquestionably the best hockey player in the world and in the prime of his career.

Over the years, they collected a number of players who would end up in the hockey hall of fame. Luc Robitaille, Rob Blake, Jari Kurri, Grant Fuhr, and at least one other person that I’m forgetting entirely. Generally, they, too, were in their primes.

Over that period of time, they made it to the Stanley Cup Finals once. That, incidentally, was also the only time they made the Conference Finals.

That team was the Los Angeles Kings. Now, don’t get me wrong. I like Jumbo and Patty, but you’ll never confuse them with any of those players I just mentioned. They’re just not THAT good.

The point is that even the otherworldly greatness of a handful of players isn’t what wins you the Stanley Cup. It takes a special team. A very special team with traits that you can’t really put down except in hyperbole and anecdotes. That’s what makes the Stanley Cup a special trophy — arguably more so than any other in sport.

You can’t just put it down on one or two players.

Planet

@ Phil #92

If I am interpreting your numbers correctly, then I think they do reflect a lack of puck moving by our D men (less assists or total points) and more of an effort by the forwards to feed the puck to the D men at the point (hence, more goals from D men despite less assists from fellow D men).

I don’t know if this number is available, but is there an easy way to see how many of, say, Jumbo’s assists are to D men at the point? (It might help to fill out the picture a bit better.)

~~~~

It might be unfair to judge Demer’s numbers based on the limited number of games. However, I think that the limited number of games he has played is a pretty good indication of how his offense has been viewed by coaching staff and management (IF you agree with me that he is expected to contribute offensively more so than other D men – you might not agree with that though).

While I am no more privy to the inner workings of the minds of coaching or management, I was under the impression that they were willing to cut him SOME slack defensively provided he contribute offensively.

My interpretation is he has been a scratch many times because he hasn’t contributed offensively.

2Teal4You

Still wondering how Hondr’s prediction that the flames will pass the sharks and make the playoffs in the 6-8 spot will turn out.

Good call.

Lisa

102 Planet
IMO it was Demers’ defensive breakdowns, not his lack of offensive instincts, that got him into TMac’s doghouse. Hence Braun got to play much more often this season over Demers, because until recently ( LA game?) Braun was stronger defensively.

Planet

@ Lisa #99:

“And though we have seen little of Demers this season, I seem to recall when he first started playing with our big club he showed puck moving, puck distributing, transition skills. Now admittedly not too much because he wants to avoid being sent back to the press box.”

You bring up a great point.

I don’t have the stats here so I can’t look them up (besides, that is what Phill is for ), but my impression of Demers is similar to yours.

So, now we have to figure out why he is so in danger of being sent upstairs to the box.

Did the coaches expect his role to change? (I was under the impression that he was always expected to help generate offense.)

Is the system that the Sharks play a poor fit for him?

I don’t know…

~~~~~

Again, I don’t have any stats, but I would say that my IMPRESSION is that the D corp OVERALL has had a much harder time this year than year’s past to make that first tape-to-tape outlet pass to a forward (or to another D man).

Maybe it isn’t so much a talent deficit as that they are struggling with D zone coverage changes which are causing them to be in a worse position when they get the puck???

I wish I knew…

Lisa

84 Phil
“The thing you hear most often from TMac and DW is that they believe strongly that no one is guaranteed a spot on the ice. Everyone has to compete for it.”

TM and DW talk compete and TOI needing to be earned, but that talk doesn’t translate into reality. Example: JT has had some bad games particularly this season when he’s been a turn over machine – has he been benched or had his PP or 5 on 5 TOI reduced to 3rd or 4th line minutes? What about Douglas Murray? What about Clowe being promoted to JT’s line for no good reason? Or think back to how TM would favor C. White or Wallin over our young dmen, even though CW and NW had disappointing games more often than not. Under TMac vets are favored – they don’t seem to have to compete to earn their TOI.
Let’s face it, vets are treated different

ZEKE

@Phil — I appreciate your looking into it — I do think those numbers will tell a story. I’m also guessing those won’t be easy numbers to come by — sorry about that!! Seriously, though, I don’t expect you (or anyone up here) to do work to just to satisfy my curiousity.

Tezooo

David Pollak ‏@PollakOnSharks 1m Clowe in #SJSharks lineup tonight, moving to RW w/Pavelski and Galiardi. Sheppard? He drops to 4th line and Burish appears to be sitting.

Tezooo

Not sure if Clowe being back in the lineup is a good thing or bad thing?
lol. Now i’m a bit nervous!

Phil

Planet @ 102 –

I have no idea why Demers was scratched specifically. He’s had a few memorable misplays, but it’s reasonable to assume that there’s more to it than that. I just thought it was a little unfair to call out the guy who I think has sat the most for his in-game stats. 8)

With respect to the other question, I’d argue that puck moving defensemen — as opposed to the ones which like the puck to stay perfectly still — generally help on the breakout more so than in the offensive zone. You don’t really see Karlsson — who might very well be the best offensive D in the game right now — pulling Thornton-esque passes and setting someone up for a one-timer. It’d seem more appropriate to call them out on the basis of zone movement rather than assists.

In addition, it’s well documented that our entire forwards corps has been struggling in the area of shot percentage, not Corsi. That indicates that the problem isn’t finding a seam or having the time and space to get a shot off, but rather getting a good shot past the goaltender.

That said, you asked for stats. These are the assists by defensemen on goals scored by forwards and vice versa. These are over the course of the whole season with no allowance made for whether the goal was shorthanded, even strength, or on the power play.

That’s 27 assists total by defense on a forward’s goal and 21 assists total by a forward on a defenseman’s goal. So, in general, the D have been more helpful to the forwards than vice versa in addition to scoring on pace with last year.

ZEKE

Seriously Tezooo?

Pavs and Sheppard seemed to play really well together — so TMc is breaking them up? I know nothing is official, but if he does this, you gotta wonder if TMc is trying to get fired!!

Lisa

109 Tezoooo
Clowe used to play with Pavs and Seto on the 2nd line. so I like those 2 being paired up again on the 3rd line. It’s Gali who is the ? imo. But he does bring speed and “energy” I guess. Whatever happened to Tim Kennedy? Is he injured or a healthy scratch? He showed some nice scoring upside.

Lisa

111 ZEKE
See Phil’s post @ 84.
That’s TMac’s mindset in a nutshell.
His “system” and “the pro-cess” rules.
Chemistry is meh according to our HC.
Players are mere puzzle pieces in the system’s Big Picture.
“Part of that means relying less on chemistry and more on a set offensive system so that everyone snaps together.”

Renoshark

Unfortunately, TMac’s helter skelter line changes are all too common. Find some success with line combos, blow up said line combo and watch new line combo struggle. Yet, another disturbing pattern the past few seasons that fall on TMac. Drives me nuts.

ZEKE

Lisa, I saw Phil’s post and agreed with much of it. And I’m still wondering — is TMc trying to get himself fired?

Breaking apart Sheppard and Pavs, after each got a goal last game. Heck, if you’re gonna handicap this team, why not have the players tie their shoelaces together?

Clemenza

Official Press Release from the San Jose Sharks Public Relations Dept.:
SAN JOSE, CA

CforPavs…. Let go of the anger, man.

I do get it. I get it perfectly. You, like a few others here are always right about everything Team Teal, & if people don’t agree with your point of view, we’re part of the team’s PR dept. Perhaps you should adopt less of a “my way or the highway” ‘tude….it’ll do you more good than harm around here and in life in general.

It must really get to you that Little Joe scored his first goal in umpteen games. I’m sorry, but that’s the way it is – he was slumping….players do that from time to time…even if they’re paid ungodly amounts of dough….it’s called being human & in that regard, you’re not privy to all of the inside factors that may have an effect on that (i.e. injuries), are you?
They even keep those secret from us in the P.R. dept! Frustrating yes, but true.

As Phil previously noted, Marleau & Jumbo are 2 individuals on the team. The last time I checked it took 20+ guys (a complete hockey team by definition) to win the Stanley Cup. So to continuously point the finger & call Marleau “Patricia” & Thornton “Slow Joe” blaming them (but still keeping Pavs up on a pedestal despite his non production) for not producing a championship is pretty short sighted, but hey…. what does anybody around here know about hockey compared to your vast knowledge…? Zilch, right? Yeah…OK.

RE: Cheechoo….Maybe if Cheech could have continued to cut the mustard in the NHL & his knees didn’t fail him he’d still be playing at an elite level (hell – I’d love to still have him in teal if he was still producing even 20 in a season – I loved that kid’s fire – as I love Pavelski’s), but it didn’t work out that way, did it? Apples & oranges, lad.

The writing IS on the wall, isn’t it? What part of a NMC don’t you understand? I would have thought someone with such incredible GM chops such as yourself would get that & lighten up with the the trade requests to DW & derogatory remarks about the team’s players. It’s juvenile & only shows your true colors….

P.S. And apparently you CAN remember who scores the most goals in a season on an unsuccessful team – you just posted the # yourself…

LOL.. Good stuff, man.

Lisa

Renoshark
It’s because players are subordinate to the magnificence of TMac’s magnificent game plan. Players are mere puzzle pieces. It seems our GM has bought into TMac’s theory 100% – just this week DW blamed the players for not “sticking to” TMac’s plan as the reason for the Sharks so so win/loss record this season. He did not question TMac’s plan at all.

Johnny San Jose

I do think Clowe will benefit from having Pavelski as his centerman on the 3rd line. Those two have clicked in the past and they’ll be playing against “lesser” defensemen on the other side checking them allowing for more space. I think this may be the turning point for Clowe and finally get the monkey off his back tonight.

Nothing more than a hunch and some history give me my opinion.

Phil

Lisa @ 106

I’ll grant you that TMac hasn’t stapled Jumbo to the bench the same way that Torts has with Gaborik, but I disagree that he hasn’t been shown limited minutes. Especially later in games, TMac has a tendency to shuffle lines and skate the people he feels have been competing most.

The next time the Sharks are behind, take a look at who he throws out. He’s put Burish out a couple of times when he’s been getting shots.

As for Clowe on Jumbo’s line, let’s not forget where TMac put Kennedy and Kearns. He likes putting the more limited players up front. In addition, given that Clowe has been shooting more than enough to make up for Jumbo, there’s some sense to be made of that transition.

That said, it’s true that Jumbo leads the team in even strength time on ice, but the spread isn’t all that large between forwards. These are back of the envelope figures — just the number of even strength minutes divided by games. I’m not messing around with seconds.

To convey a little extra information, the order is in cumulative ice time, but the numbers are the average per game.

For the most part, if you look at it based on time per game, it’s not like Jumbo’s seen huge minutes compared to other players. And the ones with significant differences (Burish and Desi) aren’t really unexpected.

To my mind, that demonstrates that people who play are getting chances. We’ve seen some flashes of good play from Galiardi, Sheppard, Wingels, and Gomez. Kennedy was particularly good when he was in the lineup.

The only one I can’t really explain is Handzus.

Lisa

115 ZEKE
TMac has the full support of our GM. DW loves TMac’s “system” and its “pro-cess.” There’s little risk for TMac to get fired…unless the Sharks don’t make the play off’s. I agree with Renoshark – DW seems enamored with TMac – he’ll never fire him of his own accord.

Johnny San Jose

Lisa — With all due respect, McLellan’s “system” has posted four 40-plus win seasons, had three 100-point seasons, captured a Presidents’ Trophy (2009), three Pacific Division titles and made back-to-back appearances in the Western Conference Final (2010, 2011).

Personnel has changed over the years but he’s been successful since he’s been here.

I too wish Todd would let the boys “open it up” every once in a while but I do believe that if you keep the puck out of your own net, you’ll bette your chances for winning games. I like the defense-first mentallity. This is coming from a former goalkeeper (different sport) so I may be bias.

ZEKE

@116 — or you could just say Couture is about 6’4″ in skates — hunched over a bit and the puck was just below shoulder level. Which would take remove the impact of optical distortion from the camera, something you overlooked in your analysis.

Phil

cjelli:

You’re missing a few factors — the apparent slope of the ice and the aberration of the lens, to be fair — but it’s not really any tricky geometry.

That said, you could have simplified it somewhat by freezing the frame where the puck touches Couture’s stick and measuring it based on Couture’s height plus a few inches for skates.

Anyway, I don’t mind them calling it a no goal on the basis that it was inconclusive though. It was definitely close. If they had called it a definite no goal, I’d be more upset about it.

ZEKE

The ‘no goal’ call on Couture was very close. I’m surprised about the call on the ice being no goal — I’d bet the ref thought it hit the blade which was a good bit higher than the shaft. How the refs even see that thing touch the stick is beyond me — maybe the ref didn’t. Heard the contact and saw the blade location and waived it off.

But it wasn’t definitive either way. Still, when its that close, I’d expect it to default to being a goal.

Phil

JSJ @ 122

To be fair, you can’t really count the first year TMac had. The system changed pretty dramatically a couple of years ago.

That said, I’m inclined to agree about the defense first system. Of course, I might be just as biased as you since I play goal in ice hockey.

In general though, it’s a valid path to the cup. The ice in Dallas when they won on the basis of Hull’s no-goal could be reasonably compared to the salt on the rim of a margarita. They slowed the game down and ground it out. Most of their wins that season were one goal games.

Another thing that I think is severely overlooked is that both TMac and DW have really bought into a scientific approach to the game. It shows in their organization — especially with Joe Will as assistant GM. They talk about it a lot between seasons and in their evaluation of players.

Whether or not that’s a good thing is up for debate, but I’m put a little at ease knowing that the systemic decisions they’re making aren’t pure trial and error.

ZEKE

little tidbit … from the ESPN hockey chat

Pierre LeBrun:

Sorry folks had to step away, I had reached out to Joe Thornton and he called back. Will have that tomorrow as part of the next blog. Was just curious to see how he felt about Doug Murray being dealt and more moves perhaps coming from SJ even though they’re sitting eighth ! haha

Johnny San Jose

Phil — That’s fair. The team that TMac inherited was pretty talented and set in their ways when he came on the scene.

I’m still a defense-wins-championships-kind-of-guy.

Planet

@ Phill:

thanks for the assists stats. That helps to paint a better picture.

ZEKE

new post

Matthew

So, JSJ: does Johnny San Jose mean you are really Jon Busch in disguise? Goalie in another sport is fairly limited!

Go Quakes

Johnny San Jose

Matthew — Same sport, just a rather long time ago. I’m a little taller than Jon, too.